Advent Devotions

Today’s author is Prince of Peace member Gary Olson.

2Timothy 1:1-14

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” (2Timothy 1:5).

My Lois was named Florence, my grandmother. My Eunice was named Lyla, my mother. This was my faith team in the early years of my life.

My Florence’s husband died when she was in her thirties. She was left with three children and worked as a school cook to provide for her family. Her eldest at the time was a wild sixteen year-old, my father, who had gotten another teen, my mother, pregnant with yours truly. We lived at grandma’s house for a while.

So grandma struggled, but she also had a team, St. Ansgar Lutheran Church. She sang in the choir and brought my mother to sing. She taught Sunday School and when I was old enough, had me in her class. She had a pastor’s support. As I grew, she taught me to read the Bible and to be at worship on Sundays.

Lyla, my Eunice, my mom, lived with an addiction all her life. She was sometimes caught up in activities which were morally questionable. In spite of that, maybe because of that, she knew where to turn and taught me to turn there also. That is, to God, to trust that God loved and was present to help.

As I have aged, I marvel at how the Spirit of God worked through those people, my faith-team, to give me the gift of faith in God—God’s love, God’s Word Jesus.

Who is your Lois, your Eunice?

The Apostle Paul was a wise missionary. He died in 64 C.E. in Rome so he did not write 2Timothy which was written much later. But he had developed a team of people who worked with him. People like Barnabas, Silas, Prisca and Aquila, Lydia and many others who worked with Paul to start congregations across the mid-east. One of them wrote 2Timothy in Paul’s name. Some say there were as many as 40 people Paul recruited to help him start and sustain congregations. He was wise. He did not work alone. He had a team and that team lived beyond him and grew, grew into people like Lois and Eunice, Florence and Lyla, and whoever you name for yourself.

Who is your Lois, your Eunice? I’ve had and have others of course who have helped me to a greater understanding of God and of God’s work in the world from when I was a youngster.

So here we are, you and I and others, Prince of Peace. We are a faith-team. We help each other grow in our understanding of God, in trusting God, in caring for one another and living with Christ-love in the world around us. I’m not involved with everything here—just can’t be—and neither can you. But I love to see you at worship, pray for you, share stories with you, laugh, learn with you, serve with you, hear from you.

Look at what God has started through Paul and continues through us!

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.” Thanks be to God.